The League Against Cruel Sports (LACS) has launched a private prosecution against four members of the Isle of Wight hunt following a decision by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) not to prosecute.
This is the third private prosecution of a hunt by LACS and relates to an incident in Shepherds Chine in November 2006.
A CPS spokesman told H&H that all the evidence surrounding the incident was thoroughly reviewed and that the CPS met with LACS.
Our lawyers have noted that this was a very thorough police investigation, but we dropped the case because we didnt think there was a realistic prospect of conviction, added the spokesman.
Following the conviction of the Quantock Staghounds, LACS spokesman Barry Hughill told H&H there were more prosecutions in the pipeline (news, 14 June).
The men are to appear in court on the Isle of Wight on 2 July.
Meanwhile, Tony Wright, the Exmoor Huntsman last year convicted of hunting a wild mammal with dogs (news, 10 August 2006), will appeal against his prosecution in the week of 9 July at Exeter County Court.
